HIV+ Woman Claims Hosp Denied Her Treatment
A 34–year–old HIVpositive woman has alleged that doctors at the state–run G T Hospital forcefully discharged her on Tuesday morning and denied her treatment because of her medical condition. The hospital, however, refuted the allegations and said she had been treated there twice earlier.

Goregaon resident Ayesha (name changed) was admitted to the medical ward of G T Hospital around 11 am on Tuesday. However, she was discharged within half–an–hour and asked to go to surgical department.

Ayesha alleged that first, she got admitted to the hospital only after waiting in the rain for 5 hours and intervention by senior doctors. Secondly, she claimed that, instead of discharging her, the doctors could have simply transferred her papers from one department to another (surgery). What upset her the most was that a resident medical officer
allegedly told her that her HIVpositive status could pose a problem for both patients and doctors. She also claimed that she was forcefully handed over the Discharge Against Medical Advice (DAMA) papers.

"There is an abscess in my neck that has to be operated upon but doctors want me to go to some other hospital. They are worried that the HIV may pass on to others,’’ Ayesha said.

Later in the evening, social workers shifted her to St George Hospital. It’s been two years now that she has been living with HIV, while her husband succumbed to the same ailment seven months ago.

The hospital, however, claimed that the issue was blown out of proportion by social workers. "The patient had sought discharge against doctors’ advice,’’ said Dr A P Chaudhari, medical superintendent of G T Hospital. "She was admitted to the wrong ward and I had asked my doctors to take her to the casualty and admit her again. We have many HIV+ patients and there is no reason to send her away.’’

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